PM Gordon Brown questioned on overseas soldiers' vote

Service personnel are being encouraged to appoint a proxy

An MP has called on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to ensure British overseas service personnel can vote by post in the upcoming UK general election.

Newbury Conservative MP Richard Benyon said during Prime Minister's Questions that postal trials by the Army Families Federation had revealed limitations.

He said it was unlikely the majority of soldiers overseas would be able to vote in the upcoming election.

Mr Brown said the government was making the "best arrangements possible".

Mr Benyon said it was a "perverse situation" that people were fighting abroad so that others could vote, but that right was being denied to them.

He said: "It is absolutely right that everyone should have the chance to cast their vote in every election."

Members of the Armed Forces are able to register as a "service voter", linking them to a fixed address in the UK for three years to allow flexibility when posted overseas.

Appoint proxy

Those personnel abroad on election day can apply to vote by post or proxy, though the Electoral Commission recommends by proxy.

However the Army Families Federation has said not everyone has a person they can trust to be a proxy voter, and that postal ballot papers are not arriving in enough time for them to be returned.

In recent trials between Wiltshire and Germany, papers were not returned in time, a spokesperson said.

The Electoral Commission's website says: "If you're based abroad, you need to be aware that, due to election timetables, you may not receive your ballot paper until shortly before election day.

"Depending on where you're based, there may not be enough time for you to return your ballot before voting closes (10pm on election day), so voting by post may not be the best way for you to vote.

"In these circumstances we would encourage you to appoint a proxy in the UK to vote on your behalf."

There are currently around 13,700 British troops deployed on operations overseas with 9,500 of those based in Afghanistan.